Kasukuwere speaks about party restructuring

ZANU-PF national Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has said the ongoing restructuring of the ruling party is in line with its Constitution and is not a witch- hunt.

The exercise began in earnest yesterday at Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meetings where itineraries for verification of party structures were set.

Kasukuwere told The Sunday Mail on the sidelines of the Mashonaland Central PCC in Bindura that the party would not condone victimisation of anyone.

He said the restructuring would further strengthen the revolutionary party and foster unity.

"The party rules say that every year cells are renewed; in other words, people hold elections to ensure that the cells have new leadership where possible.

"Secondly, branches are renewed after every two years, while districts are restructured every three years then four years for provinces and five years is when we hold the National People's Congress.

"We are not doing this to purge anyone but to strengthen the party. Anyone who is in the party and feels like they want to contest they are free to do so and work for the party.

"There is no victimisation or personalisation or going for individuals; that is out of the question. We are strengthening our party, uniting our party. If you look at our terms of reference the party must be strong and united.

"After this process we will have a party that is rejuvenated, strong, vibrant and definitely united," he said.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Security Kembo Mohadi, who is leading the process in Mashonaland Central, said he was impressed by the provincial leadership's commitment.

"I was here to introduce the programme to the province and that they should expect ABCD during the process. I was actually sensitising them on what we want.

''They are now going to be doing what they are supposed to so that when the team comes everything will be in place. I think the province is ok and they are geared to work."

Zanu-PF Harare province will hold its PCC meeting tomorrow.

In Chinhoyi, Zanu-PF Mashonaland West team leader Josiah Hungwe briefed the PCC on the restructuring and affirmed that it would benefit the party.

Another Politburo member, Douglas Mombeshora, said: "The restructuring exercise is a very important programme for the party which should be supported by every member of the party at whatever level."

Provincial chair Ziyambi Ziyambi said they would start with restructuring cells.

Mashonaland East team leader Edna Madzongwe and her team, comprising Cdes Prisca Mupfumira and Chen Chimutengwende among other senior officials, visited the province yesterday.

Acting provincial chair Aneas Chigwedere said it was resolved that vetting of party structures would be done on Friday.

In Midlands, Eunice Sandi-Moyo leads the team auditing structures, also starting on Friday.

Politburo member Sydney Sekeramayi, who oversaw the exercise the exercise in Manicaland, said the programme would ensure the party had robust structures.

"We will work with the local leadership to ensure that the party has authentic members within its structures. The team is going to work with local leadership to ensure that there are authentic members in the party because in the past names were forwarded but did not match our membership on the ground.

"At the end of the exercise a clear picture will emerge of the party membership. Zanu-PF, like any other liberation movement will not be destroyed by individuals, because of its history."

Masvingo team leader Joram Gumbo met the PCC where it was resolved verification would be done on Saturday.

Acting provincial chair Paradzayi Chakoma said all was set for the exercise.

Addressing the Bulawayo PCC meeting at Davies Hall after conducting her duties as team leader in Midlands, Sandi-Moyo warned against exaggeration of party membership figures.

She was speaking ahead of the restructuring exercise of the lower tiers that will be presided over by Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Patrick Chinamasa today.

"We have to be honest and give people what is there - not what we assume. If we have 12 districts let's have those 12 districts and avoid exaggerating because we will be fooling ourselves. What we must never forget is that the objective of this exercise is merely to win in the 2018 elections. Let us do things that will see us win," said Sandi-Moyo.

At recent meeting with the provincial leadership, Kasukuwere slammed misleading claims about party structures in Bulawayo that were not supported by any evidence.

Politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo, who led the Matabeleland South team, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made thus far.

"We are very happy that we are in a province that did exceedingly well in the July 2013 elections. There are 13 constituencies here, all of them won by the party. That alone is enough to tell how well organised we are as a province," he said.

"The fact that this province won in the elections means that the state of affairs is very good. But because this is the party that represents the people and lives with them we need to verify our structures and also to appreciate the situation the people are facing."

Zanu-PF National Spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo leads the Matabeleland North team.

Matabeleland North provincial chair Richard Moyo said restructuring was already underway and hinted that non-performing leaders would be dropped.

The verification teams are expected to physically check on the existence of structures and tally cell members with identity documents.